Sunday, October 3, 2010

Butternut Squash and Black Bean Veggie Chili

A rainy day in Reno inspired me to make a batch of chili for dinner tonight. I'd already picked up a few kinds of squash at the grocery store this morning (it was on sale... I can't help myself) and remembered that a friend had mentioned to me that she likes to put squash in her chili. I always forget that zucchini is technically a squash - which is what she uses - but I decided to try the butternut squash I already had on hand.

Be careful peeling your squash if you use one with a firm peel (like butternut). I used my sharpest knife and still struggled a little with it. Cut it into manageable pieces and scoop out the seeds first. I rinsed the seeds in cold water to remove the pulp, dried them on a paper towel, and roasted them at 275 degrees with a spritz of olive oil and a little salt for just over 15 minutes (like you may have done with seeds left from pumpkin carving).

For a firmer squash like butternut, you'll want to steam it to soften it up a bit before putting the chili together. I steamed mine for about 8 minutes:

Sauté the onion and jalapeño in the olive oil for a few minutes, until soft. Then combine with the rest of the ingredients.

Simmer away on the stove for as long as you can resist:

I heat it up enough to just start to boil, then put the lid on and leave on a low heat for a few hours.

We garnished with sour cream and shredded smoked gouda. It would be good with other cheeses, cornbread, crackers, chopped mild onion... anything you normally like with your chili.

*A note on the chiles in adobo sauce: These are extremely hot. Two tablespoons is only going to be a small portion of the can they come in. My chili turned out a little spicier than I planned. They do give a nice smoky, spicy flavor to the chili so I wouldn't skip them. Just be aware that for the heat-averse you might dial back the amount. I freeze what's left from the can in an ice cube tray lined with plastic wrap. Each "cube" is about the amount I use in each pot of chili. Transfer them to a freezer-safe bag once they're frozen so they can be thawed out and chopped as needed.